Days Gone Bye-Bye

Now that January is all but over, I realize that I missed a number of important dates.  I try to be on top of my calendar but starting a new year is sometimes problematic.  If I don't take the time to input all the assorted important "days to remember" into my Smart Phone they slip by unnoticed.  You would think that looking at a real (paper) calendar would prevent this but really who does that any more?  Anyway...back to the point of today's post...by the time I imported all the days to remember into my phone I had inadvertently missed a few important dates.


Thought Number One:  I Should of Worked on My January Calendar in December

While I should get extra points for remembering New Years Day, Inauguration Day and Martin Luther King Day, it seems that I dropped the ball on a number of others.  If you need to check the history of any of these feel free to click on  Holiday Insights.

As far as my procrastination in January, I missed out on the opportunity to celebrate some awesome holidays.. Frankly, the fact that I missed Festival of Sleep Day,  Humiliation Day, and the holy grail of holidays....International Skeptics Day is quite disappointing.

Calculating The Risks

It's been a very busy news week with a lot of important discussions flooding the Internet.  Crucial issues such as  Beyonce lip syncing her song at the Inauguration festivities and the public acceptance of Michelle Obama's bangs.  The news crews must be exhausted from the extensive coverage of these and other topics.

What Are the Odds?

This year, as in years past, Hubby and I went to one of the walk-in clinics to get our flu shots.  We are gamblers that way.  This years odds are that about 60 percent of the various strains of flu are covered by this year's shots.  Yes, the odds are in our favor not to be standing in the crowded hallways of the infected, sneezing, wheezing, snotting, coughing, vomiting, pooing people that picked up the bug from some shopping cart or ill-placed sneeze.

Viruses are camped out everywhere.

The good news regarding the "40 percent that is not covered in the flu shot" is,  IF or when you happen to get a virus, it's probably going to be milder that you would otherwise get.  Yea!!! So when you get the flu try to be gracious about it.   It is a much better flu than you would of gotten prior to getting your shot.

That's Not Right

I suppose that every week while looking for the odd news stories,  it could be said that "something is off-kilter. Hardly a week goes by where some crime is committed and we all think to ourselves: That person had to be either drunk or high.   This week I managed to find at least a few news items where it appears that the participants were sober...OK...maybe there is a small chance on the third story.


Is It a Boat or is It a House?

 On Tuesday of this week a decision came down from the U.S. Supreme Court that decided that this was a house not a boat. (no, I didn't mean Judge Judy's Court...I am talking about U.S. Supreme Court.)

Don't let the water fool you..it's a house.

In 2006, after Hurricane Wilma destroyed the marina where Fane Lozman had his houseboat moored, he decided to move it to to a marina in Riviera Beach about 80 miles north of Miami.   After moving to the new marina, Lozman found himself at odds with the city.  Riviera Beach tried to evict him and other houseboat owners to make way for a $2.4 million dollar luxury development.

As a result of his efforts, the development plans fell apart but the city contended that Fane owed them docking fees and they charged that his dachshund was a public nuisance. Fane contended that the city was seeking retribution. Seriously...you can't call a man's dog a nuisance and not expect a fight...so Fane took the city to court.

This is where things start getting interesting.  Fane won an early victory when the first jury said the city couldn't evict him.  They also, said the city had to keep the marina public

In 2008, the city came up with another plan for the luxury development and again Lozman fought against this. The city, however, went to court to have the houseboat declared a vessel.  By having it declared a boat it would be subject to maritime rules.  The court agreed. This gave the city the right to seize the "now boat" for unpaid dock fees.  Riviera Beach seized the boat and put it up for auction.

Guess, who the highest bidder was???  Yes, I am sure you guessed right!  The city outbid everyone and bought the boat.  The very next day they destroyed it.

Lozman appealed to the case to the U.S. Supreme Court. Represented by  Stanford Law School Supreme Court Clinic, Lozman contended that the city had no right to destroy his house for back dock fees under maritime rules because his house wasn't a boat.

In a 7-2 decision the highest court in the U.S.  said this:

Never, Ever Say Never

Thought Number One:  Butting Out

A few weeks ago, Hubby and I were stopped at a stop sign when I looked over to the right and the car next to us had antlers and a red nose. I was prepared to laugh at the Christmas decorations, up to the point I noticed there was a toddler standing on the back seat.  Really... she was standing up.   I glanced up to the front seat and noticed the mom and friend were busy talking and smoking.  Now before you start labeling me a nosy, judgmental, bee-atch, I'll just throw it out there that  I usually try not to judge how people deal with their children.  In that instance, though, I was nearly ready to follow this chick home and bitch slap her.  I know...I know...not my business. I can only hope that this mom was right around the corner from her house and the little girl  was about to get some fresh air on solid ground.
 
So in my defense and not wanting to appear overly  judgmental,  I am going to share a few of my  basic rules regarding how I try NOT to stick my nose into other parents' business.   These guidelines were created in part because I have walked in their shoes and  I know parenting can be really hard.

Here are just a few of my guidelines:

Friday News

Such variety this week in the news category.  As I was looking through the varied sources to find my "weird" news for the week,  I came across another couple of surveys.   I am astonished by the number of polls and surveys taken in January.  Perhaps, this is National Survey Month...I need to check on that.

• This past week the Public Policy Polling people did a survey to determine the popularity of the U.S. Congress.  According to them Congress has a whopping 9% approval rating.  Fifty-seven percent of the respondents said they think more favorably of root canals than Congress.  Fifty-eight percent said they would favor colonoscopies over Congress.

• A survey conducted by CareerCast released a list of what they believe to be the 10 most stressful jobs.  (does anyone, other than me find it odd that police officers came in 10th?)

10.Police officer
9. Taxi driver
8. Newspaper reporter
7.Photojournalist
6. Senior corporate executive
5. PR executive
4. Commercial airline pilot
3. Firefighter
2. Military general
1. Enlisted military personnel

That Needs to Come With Warnings

I am sure you all have seen the mugshots of the five inmates at the Idaho State Correctional Institution of south Boise that are suing a handful of major beer and wine companies.  They are contending that  alcohol led to their crimes and they should have been warned to the  addictive nature of booze.

I have done posts about lawsuits in which I talked about the one and only time I threatened to sue someone and I have done posts about  warning labels  in which I created the perfect drug that unfortunately came with some serious risks....but never have a done a post about a lawsuit that is a direct result of people wanting warning labels.

I am particularly interested in this lawsuit because it is coming out of  Boise.  My Kiddo #2  lives in Boise and keeps me abreast of the local scuttle concerning various Boise stories that don't always make their way to the Kansas City Star. Be forewarned that there are a couple of cases in Boise right now that are doozies.  I will catch you up on one of the more interesting news items in the next week or so. There is the additional fact that my kid is super smart and super funny which makes the stories extra entertaining.

Thought Number One:  They Didn't Realize that Alcohol Was Addictive

The five inmates; Keith Allen Brown, Steven Thompson, Woodrow Grant, Cory Baugh and Jeremy Brown have filed a lawsuit against Miller Brewing Co., Anheuser-Busch, Ernest and Julio Gallo Wineries,  Adolph Coors,  Brown-Furman Co., American Brands Inc., Pepsi-Cola, and  RJR Nabisco.  (What??? Pepsi and Nabisco are addictive???)

The five are asking for ONE BILLION DOLLARS...yes...with a B. They claim that all the companies should of had warning labels on their products that warned them of the addictive nature of alcohol...and while they don't spell it out....one could surmise that these guys are blaming alcohol for making them dumbasses.

Keith Brown told the Kansas City Star,  that he has spent almost 30 years in the prison system and that alcohol has played a major role in most of the situations that landed him in prison.  He went on to say that "at no time in my life, prior to me becoming an alcoholic, was I ever informed that alcohol was habit forming and addictive."  (Keith is being a bit redundant here.)

Jeremy Brown who is serving a 20-30 sentence for a 2001 shooting, claims he would of never started drinking had he known that alcohol was habit-forming.  According to him, he was drunk when he shot his victim.  He goes on to say that there wouldn't of been a shooting if he wasn't an alcoholic.  (I can hear it now...Your Honor, I submit that he is a liar, liar, pants on fire!!)

So far it doesn't appear that any lawyers are latching on to represent these five. (that can't be a good sign) They have filed the suit themselves with Boise's U.S. District Court.

None of the companies have yet responded to the suit.

Thought Number Two....Will We See Some More Warning Labels


I am not overly optimistic that these guys are going to get their BILLION dollars and really where would they spend it anyway?  (Do prison commissaries sell high-end merchandise?...perhaps I need to Google that.)

But...I wouldn't be surprised if we would start seeing warning labels on alcohol.  The labels on other products are the direct result of someone suing someone.

Who's going to pay the fine?

Surprise, there are peanuts in peanuts.

Learn something new everyday

It wouldn't tell you not to unless someone did.

Dry hair while sleeping..great idea for saving time.

In an effort to get a warning label into play for the alcohol manufacturers, here is a prototype just to get the ball rolling.

OK it might need some work...it's a start

What else, should we put in there, my fellow bloggers??? 





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New Controversy Coming Out of Washington DC

Holy Moly...we have another HUGE controversy taking over Washington!!!!

You know, I typically try to avoid jumping into any topic relating to politics.  I have found there are a  few subjects just too volatile for my blog.  But for the purposes of today's post, I am jumping into the fray of a political firestorm.

Which storm, you ask?  There are several to pick from.

NO, not the Fiscal Cliff fiasco.  There were a some concessions reducing it's elevation a bit. Now it appears to be more of a Fiscal Gangplank.

NO, no juicy sex scandals for today.  (Be patient...I am sure you won't have to wait very long.)

NO, I am not even talking about the new pay raise for Congress.

OK...try one more time.

NO, wrong again.  I am not referring to the fact that the Fiscal Cliff debacle gave the algae growers $59 MILLION dollars in tax credits.  But to be fair....that is a great guess!

A Word To The Wise

You might remember that in my post last Monday (yeah, the one that was supposed to be for Tuesday...that one) I was telling you about my plan to become more optimistic.  It turns out there is a new study aimed at helping us all to become more "yay-sayers" instead of "nay-sayers".  For those of you that have been reading my blog for awhile, you KNOW how much I believe in studies. (dripping in sarcasm).  As studies, polls and graphs always give totally accurate information, (more sarcasm mixed with a little scorn) I thought I would offer up a Public Service Announcement, of sorts.  So  before I fill you in on the "what were they thinking?" news for the week, I will tell you about another study that may or may not have an ounce of credibility.

Take the Trash Out

According to new research study that was published in  Psychological Science, if  you write down your negative thoughts and toss them into the trash, those pesky negative thoughts will be removed from your mind. According to this cutting-edge psychological test, you can  get rid of of all that negative brain trash by writing it down  and just throwing it away.  The study did note that if you prefer you could put your negativity into a computer document and drag them into the trash can on your desktop.  Good to know for those of you that no longer remember how to write without  the aid of a technical  device.  Any way,  according to them. this will keep you thinking more positive. 

I did notice that this research that was led by Pablo Brinol at the Universidad Autonoma Madrid  (I type it as I see it, folks) consisted of asking high school students to write down negative and positive thoughts about their bodies. (why it was limited to just their bodies, I haven't a clue) Then test participants were asked to either toss them or keep them.  Supposedly the students that tossed their negative thoughts were unburdened of their negativity.

Just to keep you thoroughly informed, I am presently jotting various negative thoughts onto little scraps of paper (which pertain to the fact,  I think that any study limited to teenagers thoughts on their bodies might be flawed from the very start)  I will be tossing these little  pieces of paper in the garbage shortly.   Let's just see if that purges me from the skepticism I have regarding the accuracy of this particular study.


Flying in the Face of Fashion

Do all those extra baggage fees get you down? Here's an idea.  Follow the lead of a man  at the Guanzhou Baiyun International Airport in China earlier this week.

According to The Examiner, the unnamed man was told that he would have to pay extra fees or get rid of some of the weight of his luggage. Not willing to do either, he removed approximately 60 shirts, 9 pair of jeans from his bag and proceeded to put them on.  (I wouldn't of thought this was possible but according to the Guangzhou Daily, it is.)

After layering all his clothes he proceeded to board the plane.  Well...at least that was his plan.  He was stopped by the metal detector and was required to have a full body search.  He had forgotten to remove thumb drives and chargers from his packed clothes.

Seriously?  How much was the baggage charge that would inspire someone to put on 60 shirts.  I am not sure  if there is an upper limit to what I would pay not to have a full body search from an airport security person. 


Don't Blame the Ghost

Debbie Michelle Zamacona, a woman from Winder, Georgia, recently called the police to report a theft in her home.  She said her resume and a black and blue blouse had been stolen.  (odd combination..wouldn't you agree?)

What made this report a tad unusual beside the fact the electronics weren't stolen, was the fact that she listed the value of her resume at $5000.00.  She, also, went on to tell the police she knew who the thief was.

She suspected it was one of the two ghosts that had been coming into her home.  She said the ghost of her mother frequents the house and she brings with her two malevolent entities with her.  Debbie is sure that one of them, stole her resume and blouse.

What made this story even more "odd" is that there was a quote by a paranormal investigator that said, "if the items were actually stolen, it would have been done by a poltergeist not a ghost."
 Poltergeists are more mischievous.  By all  means...let's use our words wisely and not go around falsely blaming ghosts.



No Truth in Advertising

A Florida man went into the Shark Lounge Liquor store with his 11 month child.  He left his little one at the counter with the clerk and proceeded into the adjoining Shark Lounge Gentlemen's Club.

The clerk called the police and the daddy, Kenneth Rowe, was charged with child neglect.

So what?, I hear you saying....The reason, I am even mentioning this is Shark Lounge slogan is "We will Rock You."

Evidently they don't.